Timo Werner helps RB Leipzig past Hoffenheim and into DFB Cup quarter-finals
Timo Werner was on target as DFB Cup holders RB Leipzig made light work of Hoffenheim to reach this season’s quarter-finals, whilst extending their unbeaten run to 17 competitive matches.
The writing was on the wall for Hoffenheim as Willi Orban directed a Josko Gvardiol cross narrowly wide inside the opening 120 seconds. Leipzig were all over the visitors and duly hit the front in the eighth minute, when Emil Forsberg was allowed to run at the defence and arrow a superb shot in off the upright from range. Hoffenheim threatened sporadically as an attacking unit, but were undone once again on the half-hour mark. Mohamed Simakan crossed for Konrad Laimer, who spun his marker in the box and lashed past goalkeeper Oliver Baumann. Werner went close to a third, but Baumann was able to make the stop.
Baumann was at it again soon after the restart, Hoffenheim’s captain thwarting Werner in a promising one-on-one before the linesman raised his flag for offside. Ozan Kabak made a crucial block to prevent Dominik Szoboslzai sending Werner in on goal as Leipzig went for the jugular. Werner was played in again soon after, but sent his shot wide from an offside position. Substitute Kasper Dolberg halved the deficit when he headed in a cross from Leipzig loanee Angelino, only for Werner to restore Leipzig’s two-goal advantage with an emphatic close-range finish. Stanley Nsoki’s late sending off compounded a tough night at the office for Andre Breitenreiter’s side, who are winless since 18 October.
Match stats
Werner is the highest-scoring Bundesliga player left in this season's DFB Cup (four goals).
On the three previous occasions Leipzig have advanced beyond the last 16, they have gone on to reach the final.
Forsberg now has five goals in all competitions this season: two in the Bundesliga, one in the Champions League and now two in three games in the DFB Cup.
Borussia Mönchengladbach were the last team to beat Leipzig in all competitions (17 September 2022).
Leipzig, who also beat Hoffenheim in the 2018/19 DFB Cup first round, have won eight of the teams' 14 competitive meetings to date (D3, L3).
Dolberg scored his first senior club goal since 1 March 2022 (for Nice in the Coupe de France).
Hoffenheim briefly made things tense when Dolberg pulled a goal back out of the blue, but Werner's strike sealed a well-deserved victory for the reigning DFB Cup holders, who ease into the quarter-finals.
Full-time
90'
+ 1
Four added minutes
We're into stoppage time now. It'll take something miraculous for Hoffenheim to rescue this.
The visitors must play the last couple of minutes with 10 men after Nsoki is sent off for a second bookable offence, kicking the ball away at a free-kick.
Werner's been warning Hoffenheim all night with this kind of run as he sneaks in behind the defence again. This time he gets his timing right to collect Poulsen's perfectly weighted pass and lash it high into the net past Baumann.
Hoffenheim go within a whisker of equalising! Angelino gets forward down the left again and the ball comes to Dabbur inside the penalty area. He twists and gets a left-footed shot away but it fizzes just over.
Hoffenheim haven't really looked like scoring all game but suddenly they're back in this. Angelino is given time and space wide on the left to cross and he picks out substitute Dolberg, who's completely unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box. He powers a header in from close range. Game on!
Another ball behind the Hoffenheim defence and another clever run from Werner. Having fired wide and had a shot saved by Baumann previously, this time he opts to try and go around the goalkeeper, although given the angle a shot would be the better option, but Baumann gets a big paw on the ball and makes the save"
The Danish winter signing demonstrates why he was brought in by winning challenges against Henrichs and Simakan in quick succession wide on the left. He has nobody in support though and the attack breaks down. Hoffenheim are really struggling for creativity in the final third here.
Brilliant interplay from Szoboszlai and Forsberg in tight spaces just outside the Hoffenheim penalty area. The latter flicks it through to Werner, who only has Baumann to beat... but he fires wide. His blushes are spared as he was offside again though.
63'
Szoboszlai almost threads the needle
Szoboszlai spies Werner lurking on the shoulder of Kabak, holding his run to avoid being offside but pointing where he wants the ball. The Hungarian's through-ball is almost perfect - Werner is clean through on goal if he gets it - but Kabak lunges at full stretch to poke it out of the way for a corner.
61'
Hoffenheim going for it
For the first time in this game, the away side are now pressing their hosts high up the pitch, aware they have 30 minutes to make something happen or their cup run will be over. They haven't found any gaps as yet, and will be wary of Werner's pace on the counterattack.
A stunning pass from Laimer to split the Hoffenheim defence and send Werner one-on-one with Baumann. His shot is saved and it wouldn't have counted anyway as the referee's assistant raises his flag for offside. That ball through from Laimer deserved a goal though.
53'
Leipzig almost in
Leipzig get forward at breakneck speed on the counter, with Forsberg charging forward down the left. He spies Werner and Silva making runs into the middle and tries to play an outside-of-the-boot pass into them, but Kabak just manages to block it.
51'
Still settling
Hoffenheim are getting a bit more physical this half as they look to make their presence felt. There have been lots of stoppages for minor fouls in midfield, with neither side able to get into any kind of flow just yet.
47'
Underway again
Both teams made one change at the break, with Delaney on for Akpoguma and Henrichs replacing Gvardiol.
So Leipzig have one foot in the DFB Cup quarter-finals after a strong first-half showing. They have largely limited Hoffenheim to speculative efforts at goal, while being clinical at the other end of the pitch. The visitors will need to come out all guns blazing after the interval if they are to turn this one around.
Werner collects Halstenberg's pass from the left and goes for precision over power as he tries to place the ball low to Baumann's left. The Hoffenheim goalkeeper is alive to the danger though, and makes the save.
42'
Laimer on the turn!
Simakan plays the ball from the right into Laimer's feet. He's inside the penalty area on the right-hand side and brilliantly spins his marker before lashing a precise left-footed shot into the bottom corner. A superb goal.
Halstenberg's pinpoint pass picks out Werner's run behind the Hoffenheim defence. The Germany forward brings it down well and lays the ball off to Forsberg, who doesn't need to break stride as he hits a first-time shot from 20 yards. It's deflected wide though.
34'
Leipzig pushing
Patient build-up play from the hosts as they work the ball from left to right. Laimer's run behind the defence breaks the lines but he can't quite hook a cross in from the byline.
30'
Midfield terriers
Superb stuff from Laimer in the centre circle as he harried Hoffenheim until he won the ball back, playing it straight to Schlager. The Austrian immediately pings a low ball forward for Werner to chase, but he's too isolated and is crowded out before he can find a teammate with a pass.
27'
Dabbur has a go
Encouraging play from Hoffenheim on the left. Some quick feet from Baumgartner tees up Dabbur for a shot from the left-hand corner of the area, but it takes a deflection, loops up high and is a comfortable catch in the end for Nyland.
22'
Defensive set-up
Hoffenheim are shifting to a 5-4-1 formation now whenever Leipzig have the ball, determined not to concede another goal that would surely all but by the knockout punch.
19'
Werner probing
The Leipzig forward tries to make inroads down the left, going around the outside of Brooks, but the Hoffenheim defender stands his ground and Werder eventually runs out of pitch.
Fifth of the season
Forsberg now has five goals in all competitions this season: two in the Bundesliga, one in the Champions League and now two in three games in the DFB Cup.
On-loan Leipzig defender Angelino floats a free-kick from the left into the box. It's flicked to Kramaric at the back post and he delivers another cross, eventually finding Brooks. The winter arrival shoots on the turn but his effort is blocked before it reaches goal.
9'
Forsberg opens the scoring!
This is far, far too easy for Leipzig. Forsberg receives possession around 25 yards out, left of centre. The defence backs off him, allows him to jink inside and smash a superb shot in off the near post. It's a great hit, but he should never have been given that sort of space in that position.
Hoffenheim are struggling to get the ball out of their own half at the moment, such is the intensity of Leipzig's early pressing. That brief opening for Orban aside though, Leipzig haven't managed to find much space to shoot.
2'
First chance!
Gvardiol curls a cross in from the left, Orban sticks out a knee to redirect the ball goalwards but it bobbles wide of the target.
1'
Here we go!
After VfB Stuttgart and Union Berlin progressed to the DFB Cup quarter-finals yesterday, who will join them there? Let's find out!
Kick-off!
In the tunnel
The players are lined up and ready to go. We'll be underway shortly!
More on those teams
Orland Nyland makes his second Leipzig start, in place of goalkeeper Janis Blaswich. Mohamed Simakan and Marcel Halstenberg are rotated in in the full-back positions, while Konrad Laimer returns in midfield at the expense of Amadou Haidara. Hoffenheim welcome back defender Kevin Akpoguma from suspension. There's a full debut for 18-year-old Umut Tohumcu in midfield, as well as starting recalls for forwards Munas Dabbur and Ihlas Bebou. Sevilla loanee Thomas Delaney is among the substitutes.
Philipp, Bicakcic, Rudy, Delaney, Dolberg, Becker, Che, Quaresma, Bischof
Rose wary of wounded Hoffenheim
"Hoffenheim are a talented side," warned the Leipzig head coach. "They're not quite performing how they'd like at the moment, which can also affect your self-confidence, but at some stage you get to the point as a team where you give it everything you've got in order to get a positive result. And of course anything can happen in the DFB Cup."
How they got here
Before trouncing Schalke, Hoffenheim needed extra-time to see off fourth-tier Rödinghausen in the opening round. Leipzig's progress has been a whole lot smoother - they've accounted for minnows Teutonia (8-0) and Bundesliga 2's Hamburg (4-0).
2:03
Watch: Leipzig 2-1 Stuttgart
Dominik Szoboszlai's brace lifted Leipzig to within two points of leaders Bayern. Die Roten Bullen are currently unbeaten in 11 Bundesliga matches, and 16 in all competitions.
2:03
Watch: Hoffenheim 1-4 Gladbach
Comprehensively beaten by Gladbach at the weekend, Hoffenheim are winless in eight matches dating back to their 5-1 rout of Schalke in the DFB Cup second round.
Welcome!
DFB Cup holders RB Leipzig continue their title defence against Bundesliga rivals Hoffenheim. Leipzig are in flying form, Hoffenheim have been nosediving. Stay tuned for live coverage of this last-16 tie...
